Gore's New Marsh Camo

[Chuck J]

Since this is a forum centered with the premise on waterfowl hunting, I thought I might post this and find out some of your thoughts since camouflage in the waterfowl industry hasn't had a recent development in quite some time.

Yes, it is a discussion forum, but have you been hiding under a rock? It seems there are new patterns every year designed specifically for waterfowling. The only difference in this is how it was (supposively) developed...or at least how the marketeers want you to think it was developed.

Chuck

 

[Kevin B]

Any time the discussion of camo patterns comes up I always can't help but think of the old-timers who shot piles of ducks wearing brown canvas and checkered wool shirts. To my eye, many of the modern patterns are too "busy" and finely detailed, while they may look good from 5 feet away, if you move back to 20 or 30 yards the hunter just looks like a dark blob. The best field camo I've ever seen was my father-in-law's 25+ year old, old school "blob" brown and tan camo. That and being still, and not looking up will render you just about invisible.
As far as big game goes, I've only hunted big game in Utah and Wyoming but my feeling is that if you need camo to hunt big game you're doing something wrong. If the animal sees you, and you need to try to hide you've put yourself into the wrong position. Probably a different story for you eastern and midwestern guys that hunt treestands and thicker cover, I can see where camo would come in handy there!

Couldn't agree more, My grandfather & father shot lots of deer in red plaid smoking a lucky. When we hunted the hudson for ducks it was just canvas cloth and the instruction to keep your head down. Years ago we took a friends friend on a duck hunt . He was dressed in that years latest Mossy ultra amazing camo. The birds were busting us all morning, finally Pumkin head Pete was reminded when someone calls out birds it means freeze not to look up. I just retired the camo my wife made for me 18 years ago,a . realtree bark pattern(wool) lined with fleece. Here in Ny blaze isn't the law but I wear a blaze guide vest. like Tod said it's all about the movement or lack of it.
Now the guys I hunt with have all gone back to waxed cotton Filson's.

 

[Brian Moyse]

And look at Drake coming with their "old school" line of waterfowl clothing. Probably more birds shot by hunters wearing brown camo than any other camo pattern ever.

As many waterfowl hunters can attest keeping the glare of your face to a minimum and being on the "X" are a lot more important than having the newest and greatest camo patterrn.

New camo patterns make me think of the fishing lure industry. Makes you wonder who the new lure colors/patterns are made for, the fish or the buyer.

 

[Matt Mahoney]

If Columbia, Drake, LL Bean etc made a real "Old School" solid color tan parka with all the high tech pockets, breathable etc features that we've become accustomed to, I'd buy one......

Matt

 

[Hank Yorke]

Matt
Olive or tan Drake gear is branded as McAllaster (sp?) Check it out online, it might fit the bill.

 

[Ed L.]

I found this article several years ago and found it interesting.

http://whitetail.com/camo1.html

To me like many articles I've read it's all about the shadows and lighting. For instance all my waterfowl hunting stuff is MAX 4 because of the marsh colors in my area but really the pattern is far to small to do any good at any distance. At 60 yards your pretty much a solid shape. My hope is at 25-30 yards the colors blend into my surroundings well enough that I only have to concentrate on being still and hope any ducks are concentrating on the water below them and where they are landing rather than being on high alert. When it comes to large patterns I think Columbia has the right idea. Columbia is a bit out of my price range. Ultimately I think WWII brown blob-o-flage is probably still the better pattern when it comes to shadows and breakup.

 

[Chad Fix]

Since this is a forum centered with the premise on waterfowl hunting, I thought I might post this and find out some of your thoughts since camouflage in the waterfowl industry hasn't had a recent development in quite some time.

Yes, it is a discussion forum, but have you been hiding under a rock? It seems there are new patterns every year designed specifically for waterfowling. The only difference in this is how it was (supposively) developed...or at least how the marketeers want you to think it was developed.

Chuck

American society is considered a fast paced society - everyone has the latest and greatest. Heck, the first iPhone came out 5 years ago and look how many people have one - I'd say 70% of the population of iPhone users have the most up to date model.

Now let's put ourselves in the perspective of the waterfowl industry, which as had a significant boom in the last 12 years. No question decoys and calls are ever changing and seem to be improving every year. Clothing is getting warmer, less bulky, and more resistant to weather year by year. Camouflage, on the other hand, has been one of the least susceptible to change. There have been probably 4 that have broken the mold of the standard brown camo during this boom: Advantage's Max 4, Mossy Oak's Duckblind, Mossy Oak's Shadowgrass (has been sun setting for the past couple years) and Avery's Killerweed. All of which were developed about 4-6 years ago. That's quite a long time considering how everything else has changed.

 

[Chad Fix]

I found this article several years ago and found it interesting.

http://whitetail.com/camo1.html

To me like many articles I've read it's all about the shadows and lighting. For instance all my waterfowl hunting stuff is MAX 4 because of the marsh colors in my area but really the pattern is far to small to do any good at any distance. At 60 yards your pretty much a solid shape. My hope is at 25-30 yards the colors blend into my surroundings well enough that I only have to concentrate on being still and hope any ducks are concentrating on the water below them and where they are landing rather than being on high alert. When it comes to large patterns I think Columbia has the right idea. Columbia is a bit out of my price range. Ultimately I think WWII brown blob-o-flage is probably still the better pattern when it comes to shadows and breakup.

Great read. I'm with you. I feel like when I'm chasing a cripple outside of a safe distance for the dog to make a retrieve my buddies stand out as dark brown blobs among the cattails and grass.

It does seem like the older patterns are more well suited - the green pattern for early season and the brown pattern for late season. I found myself throwing on my old brown camo more and more. It's just weird based on the more closer you go the more blended in you are with the newer camo patterns, but the further and further away you go the better it is for the older brown camo. Take for instance this picture of my friend and I 6 years ago:

There are 3 different camouflage patterns: Mossy Oak Shadowgrass (blends in the best), Advantage Max 4 (really dark backdrop with high contrasting cattail/grass pattern), and the old brown camo.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture shown off in a distance, but base on my observations in the field, the exact opposite order happens the further distance one gets.

This is why I'm curious about Gore's new pattern. Is this going to be a more up close pattern or can it extend out a bit. It seems like their pattern has the blobs of the old brown camo, but also when looking up close is fairly detailed.

 

[Rob Klett]

For what its worth I can vouch for Chad not having ties to the product, as we have spent many days in the boat and blind together. I agree to not fixing something that what isn't broken but we have to admit that the R&D that goes into new products has kept us all drier, warmer and better concealed with each passing year. I see this as the first camo pattern to address both the eye of the hunter and the bird, as its design seems to address both the immediate surroundings and the human shape from a distance.

That being said, this is officially my first post and would like to say I have thoroughly enjoyed the quality of information shared and the respect shared among everyone here at Duckboats.net. I look forward to many more posts.